From Breakthroughs to Budget Cuts: The Rollercoaster of Modern Medical Research

What happens when politics wages war on science—and Christians get caught in the blast radius? In this Good Faith Podcast episode, Curtis Chang talks with former NIH director Dr. Francis Collins and BioLogos president Dr. Kristine Torjesen about Collins' forced exit from NIH, the shutdown of a major HIV prevention programs in Africa, and how cuts to vaccines, medical research, and public health are threatening lives and future breakthroughs in cancer, Alzheimer's, and pandemic preparedness. They also confront vaccine distrust, anti-institution politics, and evangelical skepticism of science, while making the case that science is not the enemy of faith but a gift from God for truth, healing, and human flourishing.

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05:56 - Political Interference in Science Roles, Research, and Aid Cuts

10:57 - Are Medical Advances Threatened by Political Decisions?

16:03 - Curtis Gets Candid About Unexpected Benefits of Medical Aid in His Life

17:34 - Vaccine Policy Changes and Anti-Vax Influence

20:46 - Engaging Christians Who Distrust Science

25:39 - What Lessons Can We Learn from COVID Vaccine Promotion

28:32 - Is Science Politically Biased?

36:15 - Distrust of Institutions and Its Roots

44:45 - Equipping Pastors and Parents for Faith-Science Conversations

46:59 - Hopeful Medical Advances Despite Setbacks

50:15 - Science as a Source of Beauty and Worship

Scriptures:

• John 14:6 (ESV)

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Check out the Biologos website
• Announcement: Dr. Kristine Torjesen becomes BioLogos' 3rd president and CEO
• Biologos: Kristine Torjesen's Professional Biography
• NIH Bio: Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.
• NIH: Decades in the Making: mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines
• KFF (The independent source for health policy research and news): COVID-19 preventable mortality
• Brooke Nichols: Tracking Anticipated Deaths from USAID Funding Cuts
• Check out the Impact Counter

More From Dr. Francis Collins:

• Dr. Francis Collins' The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Refusing Despair Amidst Cultural Darkness

What does it look like to cheerfully refuse a collapsing culture without giving in to cynicism, fear, or despair? Host Curtis Chang and Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson—Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine University— dive into Leif Enger's I Cheerfully Refuse, exploring why great novels still matter, how Christians can resist ideations of apocalypse with joy, and what faith-filled fiction reveals about beauty, truth, and survival in dark times. This conversation is for listeners hungry for cultural commentary,hopeful resistance, and deeper ways of reading the world through faith.

01:28 - Challenges of Reading Contemporary Novels

06:03 - The Meaning Behind the Title "I Cheerfully Refuse"

07:47 - Lessons for Dark Times

10:02 - The Enduring Power of Books vs. New Media

12:16 - Cultivating Fruitful Practices in Dark Times

14:36 - Living as a Cheerful Refuser Today

15:02 - Is the Christian Worldview True Reality Or A Bubble?

17:04 - What Is Enger's Idea of True humanity?

18:19 - Recommendations for Similar Books and Authors

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Mentioned In This Episode:

Leif Enger's I Cheerfully Refuse

Leif Enger's Peace Like a River

Leif Enger's Virgil Wander

Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451

Claude Acho's Reading Black Books

Eugene Vodolazkin's Laurus

Rumor Godden's In This House of Brede

Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

More About Christopher Beha

Jessica Hooton Wilson's The Scandal of Holiness

More From Jessica Hooten Wilson:

• Jessica Hooten Wilson's website

• Explore Jessica's books HERE

• Read articles and Essay by Jessica HERE

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

The Intersection of Trump, Iran, and the Moral Limits of War

What should Christians think about the U.S. war with Iran, Israel's role in the conflict, and the risk of a wider Middle East war? In this Good Faith Podcast episode, Curtis Chang and New York Times columnist David French unpack the escalating U.S.-Iran war through the lens of Christian theology, just war theory, constitutional checks and balances, and the moral limits of presidential power. They explore whether America's military action against Iran is just, legal, or dangerously reckless, while also addressing Israel, regime change, MAGA foreign policy, and the growing risk of a wider global conflict. Join David and Curtis for a thoughtful framework for understanding war in a volatile moment.

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02:32 - Did Anyone See This Coming?

04:51 - Distinguishing Just and Legal Wars

09:25 - Evaluating America's War Against Iran

14:46 - Why Hasn't Congress Acted?

17:59 - Truthfulness of the Administration

22:32 - Potential Consequences of Prolonged War

33:12 - What About the Theory That Trump's War is a Diversion From Personal Scandals?

39:04 - Evangelical Support for Israel

44:08 - Are We Heading Toward World War III?

53:49 - Christian Prayer and Moral Response

Scriptures:

• 1 Timothy 2:1–2 (ESV)

Mentioned in This Episode:

• A primer on Just War Theory
• Augustine and Just War Theory
• The UN Charter Chapter VII, Article 51: the use of force and collective self-defense
• What is the War Powers Resolution?
• Abraham Lincoln'sLetter to Congress: January 12, 1848 (Speech regarding Mexican War)
• Background on U.S. Relations With Iran (1953-2026)
• Background on Operation Praying Mantis
• Impacts of the U.S. killing of Qassem Soleimani
• More about the Lockerbie bombing
• The Ezra Klein Show, March 3 episode: The Great Lie of War

More From David French:

• David French's New York Times pieces HERE
• Follow David French on Threads

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

What Does Radical Acceptance Look Like in Real Life?

In this Good Faith Podcast episode, Curtis Chang sits down with Dave Evans (co-founder of the Stanford Life Design Lab) to tear up the "find your purpose" script and explore how design thinking, faith, and radical acceptance can lead to real meaning—especially through grief and uncertainty. Expect sharp insights, honest stories, and practical tools to build a life with more presence, flow, and authenticity starting now. Dave and Curtis dig into faith and the tension of the "already and not yet" as they look at the ideas in Dave's latest book, How to Live a Meaningful Life.

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03:05 - Dave Evans' Journey & the Origins of Life Design

09:54 - Are there Pitfalls When Pursuing Impact and Transactional Mindset?

18:08 - Design Moves for Greater Meaning

22:05 - Radical Acceptance Illustrated by Personal Loss

28:06 - Why Is the Concept of Flow Important?

39:37 - Compatibility of Design Thinking and Christian Worldview

41:06 - Four Areas of Human Experience for Meaning

45:34 - Meaning in the Second Half of Life

48:59 - Getting Started: Practical First Steps

Scriptures:

• Deuteronomy 30:11–14 (ESV)
• Deuteronomy 30:19–20 (ESV)
• John 10:10 (ESV)
• Philippians 2:5-11 (ESV)
• Romans 12:2 (ESV)
• Ecclesiastes 2:11 (ESV)
• Luke 17:20–21 (ESV)
• Mark 8:18 (ESV)

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Dave Evans + Bill Burnett's How to Live a Meaningful Life: Using Design Thinking to Unlock Purpose, Joy, and Flow Every Day
• What is Radical Acceptance?
• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
• Lisa Miller's lecture The Awakened Brain
• Jill Bolte Taylor's TED Talk: My Stroke of Insight
• More about Jean Vanier and L'Arche
• Richard Rohr's Falling Upward
• Veritas Forum: Dallas Willard
• Stanford's Life Design Lab
• What is Design thinking? (pdf)
• Don Norman's The Design of Everyday Things

More from Dave Evans:

• Dave Evans + Bill Burnett's Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
• Dave Evans + Bill Burnett's Designing Your New Work Life: How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness--and a New Freedom--at Work
• Dave Evans Praxis Mentor page
• Check out: Designing Your Life website

Connected Good Faith Episodes:

• Good Faith ep. 68: The Impact Fetish (with Andy Crouch)

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Prayers of the People: The Power of Prayer in Difficult Times

The Good Faith Podcast host Curtis Chang and producer DT Slouffman guide listeners through a communal time of prayer. Responding to heartfelt prayer requests from newsletter subscribers, they reflect on themes of hope, family reconciliation, and finding peace amid uncertainty. Each request is followed by a moment of silent prayer, inviting listeners to participate. The episode emphasizes surrendering to God's will, the challenges of strained relationships, and seeking God's presence in suffering.

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• Matthew 6:9–13 (ESV)
• Ephesians 3:14-15 (ESV)
• C.S. Lewis' book The Four Loves

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Can Missionaries, Not Politics, Depolarize Climate Change for Christians?

Climate change isn't a partisan talking point—it's a discipleship test, and Brian Webb, a seasoned sustainability director and educator, joins Curtis Chang to make the case that climate ignorance hurts both the body of Christ and the world God made for our flourishing. From typhoons overseas to Lyme disease at home, Webb shows how climate change is already hurting real people—and why Christians can't shrug it off. Forget guilt and "change your light bulb" advice: Brian and Curtis lean into stubborn optimism and practical action for churches, workplaces, and local communities.

06:01 - A Faith Journey Becomes A Creation Care Story

08:23 - Creation Care and 1 Corinthians 12

14:06 - Connecting Climate Change Impact to Human Suffering

18:30 - The Problem of Warming From California Wildfires to Lyme Disease

33:35 - Examples of Institutional Action

39:10 - Measuring Institutional Progress

40:16 - Missionaries Sounding the Alarm

43:56 - Dealing with Discouragement and Stubborn Hope

50:01 - Series Wrap-Up and Final Takeaways

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• Colossians 1:15-17 (ESV)
• 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (ESV)
• Read the Cape Town Commitment
• Learn more about A Rocha USA
• Learn more about the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus
• The YWAM (Youth With A Mission) School of Sustainable Development
• Learn about the Christian Climate Observers Program (CCOP)
• Learn about Typhoon Haiyan survivor Marinel Ubaldo (Noble Women's Initiative)
• Tuvalu & the Pacific Conference of Churches

Organizations Helping Tuvalu:

• Tuvalu Climate Finance Project
• Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project
• Government of Tuvalu – Climate Change / projects portal

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Vanishing Coastlines, Dying Reefs, and the Future of an Island Nation

In this short Good Faith podcast story, Taualo Penivao, General Secretary of the Christian Church of Tuvalu, shares a firsthand witness of how climate change is reshaping daily life, faith, and the difficult questions of land reclamation and climate migration. Hear why Tuvalu is often called "ground zero" for the global climate crisis—and what support is needed to help protect its people, culture, and future.

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Organizations Helping Tuvalu:

• Tuvalu Climate Finance Project
• Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project
• Government of Tuvalu – Climate Change / projects portal

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Is The Greatest Shift in Christian Theology Going From Heaven to Earth?

Heaven isn't the point of the gospel—and N.T. Wright challenges the "accept Jesus and escape earth" narrative of Christianity. Curtis Chang talks with Wright, leading theologian and prolific author, about New Creation and his latest book God's Homecoming: The Forgotten Promise of Future Renewal, asking whether the Bible's promise is the Kingdom of God on earth—or simply going to heaven when you die. They examine the "royal priesthood" calling, what this means for life after death and suffering now, and the true purpose of Christian faith.

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03:43 - The Continuity Between Old and New Testaments

05:05 - Reject Platonism and Embracing New Creation?

08:04 - A Vision More Demanding Than The "Ticket To Heaven" Gospel

13:48 - What Does This Mean For Grace, Works, and Human Vocation?

19:53 - Divergence on the Meaning of The Kingdom of God

27:24 - The Problem of Evil and the "Now and Not Yet"

34:59 - A Pastoral Response to Heaven-Focused Theology

40:41 - How Are Heaven and Earth Interlocking Realities?

47:59 - The Royal Priesthood: Humanity's Biblical Mandate

51:47 - Tom Wright's Future Projects and Reflections

Scriptures:

• Revelation 5:9-10 (ESV) - kingdom + priests reign on the earth
• Exodus 19:6; Deuteronomy 7:6; 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) - royal priesthood
• Genesis 1-2 (ESV) - creation "very good"; humanity's vocation
• Revelation 21–22 (ESV) - new heaven/new earth; God dwelling with humanity
• Romans 12:2 (ESV) - renewing of the mind
• Romans 8:21–23 (ESV) - creation set free; redemption of bodies
• Malachi 3:1 + Isaiah 40:3 (ESV) - prepare the way; the Lord coming to his temple
• Psalm 8 (ESV) - humanity crowned with glory/honor; vocation
• Ephesians 4 (ESV) - new humanity; community ethics

Mentioned in This Episode:

• N.T. Wright's book God's Homecoming: The Forgotten Promise of Future Renewal
• N.T. Wright's book Surprised by Hope
• What is the Bar Kokhba Revolt?
• What is the Mishnah?
• "Teach Me, My God and King" (George Herbert / "The Elixir")
• Tom Holland's book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World
• C.S. Lewis' book Miracles
• Scot McKnight's book Reading Romans Backwards: A Gospel of Peace in the Midst of Empire

More from N.T. Wright:

• N.T. Wright Online
• N.T. Wright's Speaking engagements
• N.T. Wright's books (Amazon)

Past Conversations with N.T. Wright:

• Good Faith ep. 207: N.T. Wright Explains Ephesians: The Church, Christian Nationalism, & the Armor of God
• Good Faith ep. 128: The Unseen Spiritual Powers Shaping Our World (with N.T. Wright)

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Disappearing Neighbors, Upended Constitutional Norms, and an Artist's Response to ICE

Curtis Chang talks with singer-songwriter and Twin Cities resident Sara Groves about heightened ICE activity in Minneapolis–Saint Paul and why the consequences for families and neighborhoods persist after the headlines fade. Groves challenges claims that "protesters are paid agitators" or that "ICE targets only criminals," naming the emotional and spiritual toll alongside concerns about due process and constitutional overreach. They discuss "borrowed courage," the cost of public witness—when refusing to defend the indefensible—and how Christians can resist dehumanization by loving neighbors and cultivating beauty amid fear and division.

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02:45 - Sara's Eyewitness Account of ICE Activity

07:08 - Challenging Misconceptions and Narratives

10:18 - Refugees and Legal Overreach

13:48 - Has There Been A Public Reaction to Sara's Advocacy?

18:43 - Local Tragedies and Finding Borrowed Courage

23:44 - Why Do Some Stay Silent or Disengaged?

25:31 - Losing Fans and the Cost of Advocacy

35:41 - What Is the Artist's Response?

43:42 - The Challenges For Sensitive Souls Engaging in Social Justice

44:38 - A Message to Listeners Beyond Minnesota

Scriptures:

• Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV)
• Mark 12:29-31 (ESV)
• Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)
• Ephesians 6:10-18 (ESV)

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Video from Sara's social media bearing witness to current event s in Minnesota
• Learn about the work of International Justice Mission
• MPR articles about the killing of Philando Castile
• MPR articles about the murder of George Floyd Two 17-year-old U.S. citizens detained at Target (local news video)
• Federal Court Blocks: "Operation PARRIS," Orders Release of Detained Refugees
• More about Makoto Fujimura
• Kazuo Ishiguro's The Buried Giant
• Flannery O'Connor's Some Aspects of the Grotesque in Southern Fiction (read by O'Connor)
• Dorcas Thomson's Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul
• Learn about the Art House North
• Sara Groves' album What Makes It Through?
• Sara Groves' song "Telltale Heart"
• Sara Groves' song "Enough"
• Sara Groves' song-in-progress "Normal Things Are Hard Right Now"
• Steven Galloway's The Cellist of Sarajevo

Past Episodes Referenced in this Conversation:

• Good Faith ep. 215: David French: Dual State America and Authoritarianism - Renee Good and the Trump Administration
• Good Faith ep. 142: Finding God in the Small Things with Charlie Peacock & Andi Ashworth

More From Sara Groves:

• Sara Groves' Patreon
• Sara Groves' website

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Can You Really Change Your Brain by Changing Your Thoughts?

Neurosurgeon, Iraq War vet, and author Dr. Lee Warren shows Curtis Chang how to perform "self brain surgery"—no scalpel, just the brutal truth: your automatic thoughts are rewiring your brain every day, and a lot of them are lying to you. Curtis and Lee dig into neuroplasticity, why you keep looping the same stress scripts, how gratitude can hijack anxiety, and they connect the dots between brain science and faith as represented in Philippians 4 and Romans 12. If you're stuck in anxiety, trauma, or toxic patterns, this episode could be a wake-up call—and a way forward.

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02:38 - How Do Thoughts Reshape the Brain?

07:39 - Personal Story: Grieving and Neuroplasticity

11:08 - Philippians 4 and Neuroscience

18:01 - Gratitude as a Brain Switch

21:51 - Neuroscience vs. Classic Therapy

31:03 - Building New Habits and Synaptic Pruning

32:28 - The "Self" in Self Brain Surgery and the Holy Spirit

44:07) - Wisdom to Know What Can and Cannot Change

52:34 - Epigenetics and Generational Influence

56:49 - Final Word: Hope and Agency

Mentioned In This Episode:

• Dr. Lee Warren's The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery
• Philippians 4:6–8 (ESV)
• Romans 12:1–2 (ESV)
• 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV)
• Romans 5:3–5 (ESV)
• Deuteronomy 5:9-10 (ESV)
• Summary: Study finds epigenetic changes in children of Holocaust survivors
• Chris Voss's Never Split the Difference
• The Original Serenity Prayer

More From Dr. Lee Warren:

• Listen: The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast
• Dr. Warren's website
• Dr. Warren's No Place to Hide
• Dr. Warren's Hope Is the First Dose
• Dr. Warren's I've Seen the End of You

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.